Samsung’s Galaxy S25 is set to launch, focusing on power, artificial intelligence (AI), and extra features. There is also an Edge version, but the design remains largely unchanged. Improvements are mainly in software, with Samsung relying more on Google AI. Google’s AI assistant, Gemini, can now use multiple apps with a single request, making it more user-friendly. This shift leads Samsung to phase out its own assistant, Bixby. Google is also rolling out updates for Gemini Live and the Circle-to-Search function.
At the first Unpacked event in 2025, Samsung unveiled its three new flagship smartphones: Galaxy S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra. These models look very similar to their predecessors, with advances primarily in software. The Galaxy S25 and S25+ have almost identical designs to their predecessors, while the S25 Ultra features slightly rounded corners for a more comfortable grip. An Edge version of the Galaxy S25 is expected soon. The focus is on artificial intelligence, changing how users interact with their smartphones.
Google has enhanced its AI assistant Gemini with new features, allowing it to use multiple apps in one request. This has convinced Samsung to make Gemini the default assistant for the Galaxy S25 series. Bixby is still pre-installed but is less prominent. Previously, holding the power button activated the Galaxy assistant, but now it opens Google’s Gemini on the Galaxy S25 series. Google is also updating Gemini Live and Circle-to-Search, signaling the end of Samsung’s Bixby.
In Canada, Amazon is closing all seven of its warehouses in Quebec and shifting to small, private contractors. This decision affects 1,700 to 1,800 jobs directly at Amazon and thousands more with delivery partners. One of these warehouses was the first unionized Amazon warehouse in Canada. The union had recently demanded higher minimum wages, but no agreement was reached. Amazon claims the closures are unrelated to union activities.
In Germany, the two-year minimum contract term for internet connections, including fiber optics, starts with the contract signing, not the service activation. This was decided by the Hanseatic Higher Regional Court in a case brought by the Consumer Center North Rhine-Westphalia. Many fiber providers only start expanding after securing a certain number of customers in an area, potentially causing significant delays between contract signing and service activation.
In Austria, a massive shortwave antenna near Vienna, operational since 1983, is set to be demolished. This unique facility, capable of rotating 180 degrees on rails, allows broadcasts to distant parts of the world. However, the owner, ORS, plans to dismantle it, surprising many who hoped it could be preserved as a museum piece.
In the latest episode of the #heiseshow, discussions include TikTok’s potential sale or ban from the USA, Samsung’s new flagship smartphones, and DHL’s expansion of parcel stations in Germany. These topics will be explored live at 5 PM.
Other news includes a case involving insurers allegedly exchanging customers’ health data via email to detect fraud, Apple’s upcoming iOS and macOS updates that will activate AI features without user intervention, and Linux 6.13 improvements in multitasking and critical fixes. The Federal Network Agency in Germany has ruled that customers can choose their own end devices for fiber networks, countering network providers’ preferences.
Recent weeks have seen widespread brute-force attacks on Microsoft Cloud accounts, prompting IT administrators to verify the security of their systems. Meanwhile, Netflix has gained over 19 million new subscribers in the last quarter, announcing price increases in the USA to celebrate this milestone.
Construction continues on a planned battery factory in Heide, Schleswig-Holstein, with Swedish battery manufacturer Northvolt seeking investors for restructuring and further development.